1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to crop herbicides, and, in particular, to an herbicide that contains pendimethalin and pinolene for dry and drill seeded rice.
2. Description of the Related Art
Pendimethalin has been used as a rice herbicide for dry and drill seeded rice throughout the world for many years. The use of pendimethalin, however, has been strictly limited to use after the rice seed has germinated (i.e., after the first irrigation or rainfall). In fact, current and past pendimethalin registrations have expressly prohibited the use of pendimethalin before rice germination. The reason for this limitation is that pendimethalin is a root inhibitor and is therefore toxic to germinating rice seed. As long as pendimethalin is used after the rice seed has germinated, it is not toxic to the rice because it is not in contact with the seed.
The disadvantage of pendimethalin is that it must be used after the rice seed has germinated, which is also after a significant amount of weeds have germinated and begun to grow.
Thus, there is a need for a pre-flush, pre-rice-seed-germination herbicide.